Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Female urinary stress incontinence is a common ailment affecting more than 2 million women annually. Urinary control relies on the finely coordinated activities of the smooth muscle tissue of the urethra and bladder, skeletal muscle, voluntary inhibition, and the autonomic nervous system. Urinary stress incontinence can result from anatomic, physiologic, or pathologic (disease) factors due to aging and childbirth, and can eventually cause inadequate urinary storage or control which may result in bladder leakage. Some effective treatments for incontinence the surgical implantation of device called slings that provide mechanical support for the urethra when pelvic organs shift during points of stress including coughing, sneezing, and laughing, for example. Sling implantation generally involves small skin incisions as well as an incision through the upper vaginal wall to gain appropriate access to position the sling beneath the urethra. Some current sling insertion techniques involve using bulky delivery tools and/or sling containment devices, which can generate significant tissue separation and therefore bleeding to enable implantation. Additionally, the force required on the delivery tool to position the bulky sling devices may cause significant patient discomfort and may require anesthesia.